STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Monday, 31 December 2012 (and Tuesday, 1 January 2013)

[Demeter]

4. The Top 12 Political Fallacies of 2012 By Richard (RJ) Eskow

http://www.nationofchange.org/top-12-political-fallacies-2012-1356865713

Our nation was gripped by so many fallacies and delusions in 2012 that the whole Mayan calendar end-of-the-world thing didn’t even make the list.

Even those apocalyptic prophecies were more plausible than the idea that cutting Social Security will help the deficit, that government spending cuts will jump-start the economy, there were no crimes on Wall Street, or that we live in a “divided nation” whose “center” wants more business as usual in Washington.

Here then, without further ado, are our Top 12 Political Fallacies for 2012:

1. Austerity works.

2. We need less government spending.

3. Social Security is in ‘crisis’ and we need to cut it.

4. Medicare benefits need to be cut, too.

5. We’re “living beyond our means.”

6. Our problems aren’t anybody’s fault.

7. Banks paid back what they owed us from the bailout.

8. Wall Street-ers didn’t commit any crimes – or they’re too hard to prosecute.

9. “Ideologues” are getting in the way of “bipartisan” and “technocratic” solutions to our problems.

10. A “divided nation” elected a “divided government” through a democratic process.

11. It’s about politicians.

12. We’re helpless.

POINT BY POINT REFUTATIONS AT LINK

THIS WOULD MAKE A GOOD DRINKING GAME, WHILE WATCHING THE NEWS....